Chapter 9: Her Parents Come to Stand Up for Her

Upon hearing those two voices, Shen Ningyuan’s eyes instantly reddened. Turning toward the source, she saw her parents approaching against the light, under the watchful gaze of countless onlookers.

Chen Shi had not expected the Shen family to arrive so swiftly. She stood stiffly by the spirit tablet, panic rendering her somewhat helpless.

Shen Ningyuan herself hadn’t anticipated seeing her parents so soon and stood frozen in place.

It wasn’t until the tall Shen Potian strode up to her and pulled her behind him that Shen Ningyuan snapped back to reality, her nose tinged with a growing ache.

Her parents had truly come.

Shen Potian positioned himself protectively in front of Shen Ningyuan, his cold, intimidating glare fixed squarely on Ji Zehai.

“Ji Zehai, if you have grievances, take them out on me. Don’t bully a child!” Shen Potian shouted angrily.

Seeing his fierce demeanor, Ji Zehai couldn’t help but feel a twinge of fear. After all, Shen Potian’s reputation preceded him, and no one knew how many lives his spear had claimed. Yet despite his fear, Ji Zehai forced a smile and tried to appease him.

At that moment, Cui Jin scanned the crowd, then stepped forward, pulling Shen Ningyuan into her embrace with a pained expression. “Yuan’er, don’t be afraid. Your mother and father are here now. No one will bully you anymore.”

Looking at the father standing before her and the mother who gently cared for her, Shen Ningyuan’s heart ached even more.

Seeing her parents alive and standing right before her, memories of the previous life flooded her mind—their brutal transformation into human pigs and their being paraded beneath the chastity archway by Ji Yunchuan.

Her eyes reddened further, and Cui Jin’s heart broke even more.

“Yuan’er, don’t cry. Mother knows you’ve suffered injustice.”

Her own eyes welled up, for her daughter had been forced into widowhood immediately after marriage. Now, just as things were looking up, Ji Yunchuan had abruptly left.

As a mother, she wished more than anyone else to spare her daughter such pain.

With that thought, Cui Jin’s gentle expression faded, replaced by a cold glare directed at Ji Zehai and Chen Shi.

Coldly, she said, “On our way here to mourn, we heard that Yuan’er had taken poison to die with her husband. We thought she was distraught and took her own life. But no matter how much I planned, I never expected that Ji Yunhuan tried to poison my daughter, and that your Ji family would pressure her to spare the real murderer!”

Hearing this, Ji Zehai quickly cupped his hands and forced a smile. “Madam Cui, this is all a misunderstanding. We never intended to force Ningyuan.”

“A misunderstanding?” Cui Jin snorted coldly. “The poison, ‘Crane’s Crown’, was found right on the floor. You call that a misunderstanding?”

Chen Shi had just threatened to die, claiming that if she died, it would be because Ningyuan had driven her to it.

“Ji Zehai, with all these witnesses, you still tell me it’s a misunderstanding?”

Ji Zehai was silenced by Cui Jin’s accusations.

Seeing his silence only fueled her anger.

“Ji Zehai, tell me, what grudge do you hold? My daughter is so young, and yet you targeted her!”

Ji Zehai hastily waved his hands. “No, no, it’s not like that. We never planned to harm our daughter-in-law. It really is all a misunderstanding!”

At this point, besides claiming it was a misunderstanding, Ji Zehai had no other defense.

Cui Jin was unmoved and pressed on. “Since my daughter married into your family, Ji Yunchuan went off to war. My daughter has been a widow for a whole year. Do you acknowledge that?”

Ji Zehai said nothing, tacitly admitting it.

Cui Jin continued, “During that year, my daughter honored her parents-in-law, cared for the young ones in her husband’s family, managed all household affairs, and even used her own dowry to support the entire Ji family. Do you acknowledge that?”

Faced with Cui Jin’s relentless questioning, Ji Zehai’s face flushed crimson, unable to respond.

As for Chen Shi, lying prostrate on the ground, there was nothing she could say.

Because what Cui Jin spoke was the truth.

The others present widened their eyes in shock upon hearing this.

“What? So according to Madam Cui, the Ji family’s young mistress has been supporting the Ji household with her dowry for the past year?”

“This is outrageous. No matter how poor, a family should never misuse the bride’s dowry. If this gets out, it’s a disgrace!”

“I never expected the Ji family to raise such an ungrateful wretch as Ji Yunhuan. After all the kindness the young mistress showed her, she actually tried to poison her own sister-in-law!”

“Yes, yes…”

Hearing the whispers, Chen Shi and Ji Zehai hung their heads in shame.

In today’s world, although women were of lowly status and had to bow in their husband’s home, a family with any sense of dignity would not casually dip into a bride’s dowry.

Now that the Ji family’s reliance on Shen Ningyuan’s dowry was openly exposed by Cui Jin, their reputation was utterly ruined.

“Not only did you use my daughter’s dowry, but you also tried to poison her. What kind of intentions does your Ji family have?” Cui Jin persisted, determined to seek justice for Shen Ningyuan today.

By now, Ji Zehai had regained his composure.

He forced a smile and stepped forward with a bow. “Dear in-laws, this matter is complicated. It may not be appropriate to settle it here with so many eyes watching. Perhaps... we can resolve it privately? I promise to do right by my daughter-in-law.”

The more Ji Zehai thought about it, the angrier he became.

Shen Potian and Cui Jin were notoriously difficult to deal with in the capital.

One was a national general, the other a merchant whose wealth rivaled kingdoms.

Their presence turned the tide instantly.

Thinking this, Ji Zehai shot a sharp glare at Chen Shi and Ji Yunhuan — utterly useless and incompetent, unable even to handle the small matter of poisoning.

“No!” Shen Potian cut in coldly. “This cannot be settled privately. Ji Yunhuan must be handed over to the authorities. The matter must be thoroughly investigated to give my daughter justice!”

At that, Ji Zehai’s expression changed.

If the case went to the authorities, the Ji family would gain no favor.

But settling privately would at least leave room for compromise.

With this in mind, Ji Zehai’s smile took on a more conciliatory tone.

“Dear in-laws, as you know, my son died heroically on the battlefield. For the sake of how well he treated his wife when he was alive, please grant the Ji family some leeway. Would that be acceptable?”

“As long as it doesn’t go to the authorities, you can demand anything from the Ji family!” Ji Zehai emphasized again.

Handling it privately would keep the matter from becoming public knowledge.

Ji Yunhuan’s reputation would suffer less, and the Ji family’s honor would remain intact.

Hearing this, Shen Potian hesitated.

Ji Zehai was right.

Ji Yunchuan was not only his son-in-law but also a general under his command.

If he truly forced the Ji family to turn Ji Yunhuan over to the authorities, the scandal might dishearten the troops.

Noticing her husband’s silence, Cui Jin understood his thoughts.

She couldn’t help but pinch the soft flesh at Shen Potian’s waist hard.

Old man, at a time like this, you’re still thinking about your soldiers!

Shen Potian endured the pain without a word.

Seeing his silence only made Cui Jin angrier, and she pinched harder...